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"They're perfect to go next to Sportsman's because Sportsman's is mainly a male-driven crowd and Hobby Lobby is a female-, kid-driven crowd," said Patrick Madden, a lawyer whose family has developed much of Hamburg. "When the husband and wife come, the one goes to the sporting goods store and the other goes to Hobby Lobby.

"There's something for everybody, and that's the theme of Hamburg."

Madden had been working with Hobby Lobby for around two years, he said.

With the retailer signed, he now plans to actively begin marketing the remaining spaces available in that section of Hamburg.

Among those spaces will be a 10,000-square-foot building that Madden plans to construct to fill with smaller tenants. It will be similar to what houses stores like Smashing Tomato and Stuarto's Olive Oil Company on the other side of Sportsman's Warehouse.

Adding Hobby Lobby will build a critical mass of shoppers into the parking lot the retailers share in that end, Madden said.

"I think Hobby Lobby will double the traffic," he said.

Deeper into Hamburg, two new fashion stores are opening in the majority of the space once occupied by Dawahares.

Work is ongoing now on Versona Accessories, a southeastern retailer specializing in women's jewelry, handbags and shoes. Its closest store is in Louisville.

Hiring is beginning this month for the second store, Altar'd State, which plans to open in October or November.

Altar'd State is "built on a passion for fashion, customer care, community support and Christian values," according to a statement.

The southeastern company has 12 stores, and this will be its first in Kentucky.